Sitting here in this cafe. I saw a lady outside struggling on her crutches to get up the single step onto the sidewalk before arriving at the multiple steps she would have had to overcome to get into the cafe.

I stood up and rushed outside to help her.

In seeing me – perhaps the first foreigner she has ever seen in person – come this close to her in such a rush, she fell back and nearly lost her balance. Luckily she regained her footing without falling down on her head.

This made me think of the adage: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

This also made me think back at the many times when people sought to help me, and in so doing, they offended me.

Who were they to think that I was incapable of helping my self?

This life thing, and indeed the well-intentioned viewpoints and actions of others, all need a little patience.